The Ick Factor

Visiting a cemetery can be a very Halloweeny thing to do. Some people find cemeteries spooky, scary, and even claim they are haunted.

I find them restful and a place of peace, but then, I go to visit the graves of friends and family. During daylight hours.

Two cemeteries in Illinois with family members resting in them are on my way to the Great Lakes Show and I stop by and pay my respects whenever I attend the show.

My great aunt Clara Honeywell Canady and her husband Lloyd are buried in the Watseka cemetery,  

and ten miles down the road in the Onarga cemetery is my great Uncle Howard Honeywell along with my great grandmother Marilla Wing Honeywell, Marilla's parents and siblings, and her grandfather, Zaccheus Wing.

The sexton was out working in the Onarga cemetery and came over to chat. He showed me his book and checked to see if I had other family buried there (I don't) but then he shared that just a few headstones down the row from my family was a well known Civil War spy, turning to point and indicate that grave.

Timothy Webster, part of the Pinkerton network of Union spies.

Webster's original headstone is side by side with the newer one.

Well, that cemetery seemed a little less peaceful to me as I learned Webster's story and that he was captured by the Confederates and hung as a spy. Twice. (The first hanging failed so they had to re-do it. Read about that in the article connected to the link above.) How awful to die like that!

Feeling a little unsettled, I got back on the road and headed to Huntley. 

Things went well until I checked into my motel, WoodSpring Suites in Elgin. Something about it felt off. It wasn't that I felt unsafe, but things in my room were very bare bones (no kleenex??) and while it appeared clean, for some reason, I felt uncomfortable. But I was only going to be there a few hours so I got my jammies on and into bed.

I did take the precaution of setting EVERYTHING on top of my walker rather than on the desk, dresser, or floor. I would be glad later that I made that decision.

No pics (although I have them for documentation) but the place had roaches. I'm an early riser and I found four of them after I got up, including one traipsing over my bedside table. Another was UNDER MY PILLOW.

Ick, ick, ick, ick, ICK!! 

I spilled my coke as I took those photos, so I put a towel under the spill to keep it from soaking down into the mattress, threw on my clothes, grabbed my walker, and left.

The motel office would not open until until 9:00 AM, so I left my key card in my room, hopped in my car, and headed to the show hall, shivering from the Ick factor and grateful that I had gone with my gut sense and not set anything of mine onto the floor or tables. (I shook everything out and laundered it when I got home, just in case. I also called the hotel and reported the incident.)

I sent the pictures to Tim who confirmed that they were indeed roaches. (Tim is an entomologist.) He asked what I'd been doing up in Chicago and so I sent him the picture of Sweet Amy winning her championship ribbon. Tim's response was typical Tim.

Thanks, Tim, and fortunately, I did not see any evidence of bed bugs! The Ick factor was bad enough as it was!

The Great Lakes Congress Show: Showing & Socializing

Set up for any Great Lakes Congress show begins at 6:00 AM, and you might be surprised at how many hobbyists were waiting at the door Saturday to be let in before that. (Raising my hand.) It was still pitch black outside and chilly, but the tubs and wagons came pouring through the doors as soon as Liz opened them.

She and I snapped a quick selfie before things got too hectic. (I was eyeing her pin and reconsidering my decision to not get one at this point.)

There had been an early set up at 5:00 PM Friday afternoon, and several of us had taken advantage of that time. That meant that at 6:00 AM Saturday, I was ready to show and sell! But I was also relaxed and not hurrying around trying to get ready for the start of classes.

Friday night after set up, Liz invited any who wanted to go out to dinner with her and Sam. Karen Meekma and I joined them and we had a fun evening at a mom and pop restaurant (where our waitress already knew Sam and Liz well) and chatting. Karen hosts the Sleigh Rally Model Horse Show in Wisconsin every February, a show that is on my bucket list to attend some day. Nice lady. (Sadly, I did not get one photo!)

Anyway, soon after opening the doors on Saturday morning, piles of "Hold these for me, I'll be back with payment" began stacking up on my sales table. I also overheard several compliments about my haversacks that really made my day. 

I used to show for the competitive aspect, but now I am far more interested in the social part. I like to win ribbons, but I love to meet up with friends and catch up.

Shannon Rodgers is one of those friends. She has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I know. It's always good to see her. (Jennifer Buxton, she is also part of a story from the day that I will tell in an upcoming blog post that will make you smile. Stay 'tooned!)

Steff Bodamer is another dear friend. She is also an outstanding judge and if she places one of my horses, I know I have a good horse. (Steff wasn't judging at GLC this time, but she will be at Dark Horse next Saturday!)

Lara Heidkamp, shown here judging the Youth Show, is a new friend. When I asked if I could photograph this class, she struck a hilarious series of "judging poses" that made us both laugh. (She was sooooo good with those youth showers!)

This next one is one of my favorite photos from the show because of the kindness behind it. Shelly (in the yellow shirt), her mom in the blue shirt, and another lady whose name escapes me were all in the vendors' section selling models. They were also all quilters and sewists. An entrant from the youth show was a beginner sewist and had made some blankets from felt, decorating them with beads, buttons, and trims.

She talked to me about my pouches and took several bags of my remnants for her own sewing business, and I suggested she show these three ladies the blankets that she'd made to sell. So, she got them and brought them over.

The quilting ladies genuinely enjoyed looking at her blankets and were very complimentary. I took this photo for her mother to see - it was just too sweet to miss. A young and very new sewist went home after the show encouraged and happy. It was one of the highlights of an already very good day.

Not only was I selling, but I was showing, too.

Sweet Amy won the Breyer American Pony class

and went on to be named champion of the Draft/Pony division. 

I cringed a bit over taking Nancy's Love because those legs are so fragile, but she made it there and back safely.

Lone Star (middle) won his class, too. And Raineybrook, a Hagen Renaker Morgan Stallion, placed second and NANed, but I forgot to take his photo. 

I have lots more to share but this post is getting long. There may or may not be a second post of the day; if so, it will be posted by 11:00 AM Eastern Time.

Stay 'tooned!

Home Again!

The Great Lakes Congress Show does not disappoint. It is well run by the GLC leaders and it attracts a group of entrants who are friendly and fun. I love to head up to Huntley, Illinois for those shows; they are so worth the 4.5 hour drive!

Photo by Liz Cory.

I took ten models to show and came home with four NAN cards so I was pleased with how my tiny show string did.

Originally my sister Leslie was planning to come with me but she was asked by the Tippecanoe County Historical Association to participate in a special event that same day honoring those who had made an impact in our community. Our mother was chosen to be included and Leslie was asked to sit at her gravesite during a cemetery tour and speak about her contributions.

I haven't had a chance to talk to Les about it yet aside from a brief text saying it had gone well and to look at this photo that she sent me. 

More to come - I'm tired and I'm heading off to church and then coming home to sleep some more. I'll unpack the models later this afternoon and then Teacher Daughter Lisa is coming over for dinner and to play board and card games this evening. She just started Fall Break and doesn't have to get up in the morning and go to work so we will probably go late into the night!

Stay 'tooned!

(Almost) Ready to Go!

I'm almost ready to head off to the Great Lakes Congress show. 

Yesterday I did a final inventory of haversacks, pony pads, and horsey blackened beeswax ornaments

and then I did a mock set-up in the sewing room. I have enough merchandise but not as much as I usually do - I spent so much time sewing 18th century clothing that I did not get as much sewn for GLC as I'd hoped.

And with just two weeks between the events, I just didn't have time to get done what I'd wanted.

I did bag up a lot of my horsey remnants, just as I do with my 18th century fabric remnants, only I am giving these away, not selling them. Quilters and crafters are going to get a really good deal!

I'm even taking an 18th century shirt to deliver to a hobbyist. (I have female customers who like to wear men's trade shirts with leggings and a belt around their middle in their 21st century life.)

What's left to do? Well, yesterday I decided I would show a few models after all. I think I have some room in the car (my walker takes a lot of space in the trunk) so after I load the haversacks, I will see if there is space for a tub of ponies. If so, yay! And if not, that's fine. I enjoy showing, but I enjoy the social aspect of showing more. I will have fun regardless.

If you don't see any blog posts this weekend, I'll be back writing on Monday.

Stay 'tooned!

At the Machine Again & the October Give Away

The Feast tubs and clothing are all back upstairs, inventoried, rehung, and repacked.

And I have shifted gears - I'm in full live show prep mode! The October Great Lakes Congress Show is one week from today!

I've inventoried what I have on hand and discovered that I needed to make a bunch of XLT and Traditional haversacks. 

I also needed to sort the 175 or so sewing clips that I'd used on the pleats for Lisa's robe a l'Anglaise and return them to their storage containers - I use two different sizes of them when making pony pouches so that had to be done.

An old Willie Nelson song popped into my mind as I worked, although the lyrics were changed to fit my circumstances. 

At the machine again,

I just can't wait to get back to the machine again,

The life I love is sewing fabrics for my friends

And I can't wait to get back to the machine again!

It's time for the October Give Away! As I mentioned  in a pre-Feast blog post, 

I inventoried the maple cakes yesterday and I have 225 maple cakes for the weekend. Next week, I am going to do the October Give Away and the way to enter will be to guess if you think I sold all of those maple cakes or if I had some left.

A simple Yes (meaning I sold them all) or No (indicating that I didn't) will do. And, you can enter daily beginning with this blog post and ending Monday, October 14, 11:59 PM EDT. However, and take note of this - your answer must be the same every time. No Yes for one blog comment and then No for another. 

I'll spin to win either Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

So, what's the prize? I'm not sure yet. I actually have a couple things in mind, all Feast related. And something else that isn't.

Stay 'tooned!

Missing the GLC Show

Today is the March Great Lakes Congress Show in Huntley, Illinois and I am not there. I'd planned to be, but following so closely on the heels of Kalamazoo, it just proved to be too much physically. I still hurt, am tired, and am moving slowly from last weekend; there is no way I could drive there and back, load and unload and load again, show models, sell haversacks, and visit with friends.

I simply have not got it in me right now. 

Kerri Gehrmann Johnson, founder of Model Horse University and Great Lakes Congress, and me chatting as we put models on the table at a recent GLC show.

There is no live show I'd rather attend than a GLC one. GLC shows are so well run, the folks there are friendly, and it is a great show to attend, whether you are new to live showing or someone who has been showing for years. 

Like Nancy Falzone who can still be found at GLC shows. She doesn't compete any more, but she comes and visits with everyone.

If you haven't been to one (they hold six a year) and get the chance, go. You will not regret it.

Shannon Rodgers (who has one of the biggest, kindest hearts in the hobby) and me at a GLC show.

Me with my circus pony entry in the Anything Goes class at a Great Lakes Congress Show. No Hagen Renakers or Breyers - I brought circus ponies that most people will never see outside of pictures. (Was I nervous about bringing those pieces? Oh, yes!! I probably won't do that again, but it was fun.)

Liz and me - I always stay at her home Friday evening and after setting up for the show that afternoon, we go out to dinner and catch up, sometimes talking until we are hoarse! (Horse? LOL)

Another Anything Goes entry, one that connects my love of circus horses and Star Wars. (Can you see the tiny Darth Vader with his arm outstretched to use the force to get the horses to rear?)

Liz, her husband Sam (the behind the scenes, pizza delivering, tee shirt selling, and more guy at the show), and me.

Best of luck to Liz , Jamie Rott, and all those at the show today. I hope you have an enjoyable day and will miss being with you terribly but I just am not up to joining you this weekend.

Stitching for the GLC Show, Family, Friends, and a Headless Llama

Saturday's Great Lakes Congress show is just a few days away and the L bag is getting full.

It is crammed with Mercantile orders and donations that Barn Buddy Kelsey is taking with her to the show for me. (I still have a model that I sold to put in there but I am not sure it will fit.)

What's the L bag? It's a tote that was gifted to me by a student during my teaching career.

Of course, the L stood for Lynn. (I is a difficult letter to find so the student settled on my first name.) Liz Cory and I use it to carry things back and forth to each other which works nicely since her name begins with L, too!

Yesterday I finished this Hamilton sized Traditional haversack in Jockey Caps as part of an order that is being delivered to the show.

It may be traditional sized, but the Hamilton mold has a tail that requires a wider haversack to accommodate it. I've had to create a category of haversacks just for that mold!

I am just about finished with all the ornaments I've been making for family and friends. Now that my family has opened theirs, I can post a picture of what I've been embroidering.

Gingerbread ornaments! I am so happy with how they turned out.

Yesterday I made two Naught/Nice/I Tried aprons, one of which is a GLC donation.

And I finally finished this tea towel for Hawkeye Sarah. This pattern is absolutely the MOST difficult I have ever embroidered - it took four attempts and several weeks to finally get a finished towel that had no errors.

Sarah is a wildlife photographer so this pattern is perfect for her.

After the aprons and tea towel were completed, I went back to stitching up the last six gingerbread ornaments that I needed to make. A friend of mine who also has an embroidery machine calls hers "the moody teenage girl."  Well, mine chose that moment to join the moody teenage girls club.

It was skipping stitches, breaking threads, and not cutting the jump threads as it should. That can lead to what is called "birds' nests" where the thread balls up and looks like a bird's nest (a bowl of spaghetti might be easier to envision.) I only got one small bird's nest on the back, but the stitching issues on the fronts of these two ornaments ruined them and they had to be thrown away.

And while an embroidery machine is not quiet while it runs, it should not sound like this. That occasional ratchety sound is the bobbin holder.

I pulled it out to check it, but I cannot see any reason it is rattling around while it works.

I had to shut down the last of the ornament work and am going to have to take my machine to a repair service in Kokomo. Those who were going to get an ornament from me will get a mini loaf of pumpkin bread or something instead. 

I wasn't the only one frustrated with the state of my stitchery; Local Son Curt sent me this text he'd received from Pony Pal Mila.

She was so upset that they FaceTimed me so she could show me the problem and ask if I could sew the head back on. (Because, you know, that glue gun just won't fix her llama! LOL)

Headless llama is coming over today and has been added to my list of things to do. Repair work is becoming a bit of a sideline for me -  I fixed two of the dogs' favorite toys and two stuffed bunnies for Mila and Lukie yesterday, too!

Today I will finish up the last of the GLC donations and transfer the L bag to Kelsie. (There's a thank you surprise in there for her, too.) The llama will get its head back, and then I have a basket of cut out and pinned haversacks to work on.

Nashie and Molly are coming to spend the day with us, and I will get to see if my repair holds on the toys this time. (It's the second time I've fixed them.)

Nash waiting at the laundry room door into the garage for Lisa to come in.

I'm going to work on Christmas shopping, too. Some of it is done, but there are still a lot of people to buy for.

Speaking of gifts, I received a very special one from a hobby friend on Monday that I am excited and very touched about. Stay 'tooned.

Catching My Breath

What a show! The Great Lakes Congress show is always a good one and this year's October show was no exception. My show string did well, I sold a lot of haversacks, and I sold both my extra Chevaliers.

Even better, I caught up with a lot of friends.

Since I dislike driving on the freeways in and around Chicago, I always take state highways and drive through the country to get to Huntley where the show is held. That drive is longer, but it has several bonuses.

That route takes me past some very old family graves in Onarga and Watseka, Illinois.

I always stop by and visit them. This year I cut some snapdragons from my front flowerbed and laid them at the graves. (Sorry, no pics of those but they sure looked cheerful and pretty.)

On the way home after the show I stopped at a Caseys in Forrest, Illinois for a break and leg stretch. It's harvest season in the Midwest and the corn dryer across the road was working hard and was incredibly loud!

At first I thought the noise was from a train approaching. (The Caseys and the corn dryer across the road sit on a very busy set of train tracks.) Nope, just midwestern corn drying before going to market.

Stopping at the family graves as well as for lunch or dinner adds additional time to my trip to and from Huntley. Luckily for me Liz Cory made sure I was well prepared for the drive home. She surprised me with several cases of Vanilla Coke Zero!

For some reason, the stores in West Lafayette and Lafayette no longer carry Vanilla Coke Zero. Huntley does, and Liz and Sam thoughtfully made sure I had enough to last for a while. (As you can see, I drank several cans on the way home!)

I'll catch my breath today and then write more tomorrow and share pics from the show. Stay 'tooned!